This was a conversation I was having the other with a close friend from France. I was talking about how kids in the US, especially in impoverished areas, get pushed through math classes with barely passing marks even if they learned nothing. I'm not sure how completely accurate this is, but he explained that he knew many people (probably 15-20) that had repeat entire grades multiple times because they failed math.

I know that a lot more has to happen in the US in regards to financial reform of public education for kids to be able to repeat grades so liberally, but I think it would do a lot of good.